Potato Soup

4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
3 stalks finely chopped celery
1/2 finely chopped onion
3 1/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
5 tbsp butter
5 tbsp flour
2 cups milk

1. Combine potatoes, celery, onion and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium then cook until potatoes are tender, 10-15 min. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork and cook, stirring occasionally until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk, avoiding lumps. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4-5 min.

3. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients

4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
1 pkg quick cooking long grain and wild rice w/ seasoning packet
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
Fresh garlic, minced (3-4 large cloves)
Olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
2 cups heavy cream

Directions:

1. Saute carrots, celery, onion and garlic in olive oil until tender.
2. In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth, water, chicken and vegetables. Bring just to boiling, then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.
3. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons , to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.

4. Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10-15 minutes.

Chicken Marsala

Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min

Marsala Sauce:
1/3 cup butter
1 slice prosciutto, diced
2 tsp minced shallots
2 tsp minced garlic
2 (4oz) cans mushrooms, drained
1/4 cup lombardo dry marsala wine
1 cup chicken stock
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp minced fresh parsley
2 tbsp heavy cream

Chicken Spice
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried orgeano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp garlic powder
4 chicken breasts
olive oil

1. Melt butter over low heat in a medium saucepan. Turn heat up to medium high to sauté the prosciutto in the melted butter for about 2 to 3 minutes; be careful not to burn butter, add shallots and garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add marsala wine, simmer for another 30 seconds or so, then add mushrooms and black pepper. Simmer over medium high heat for 5 minutes.

2. Dissolve corn starch in chicken stock. Add stock to saucepan and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Add parsley and cream to the sauce and simmer 3 to 4 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat, cover until needed.

3. Preheat barbecue grill on high heat. Combine ingredients for the chicken spice in a small bowl. Use your thumb and fingers to crush the spices in the bowl to make a finer blend.

4. Brush each chicken breast generously with olive oil. Sprinkle spice blend over both sides of chicken breast and grill for 6 to 8 minutes per side or until done.

5. Serve entree by arranging each chicken breast on a plate. Spoon one quarter of the marsala sauce over each serving of chicken and serve. Serves 4.

Chuck Roast

1 Chuck Roast
1 can Italian Stewed Tomatoes
1 onion, largely chopped
Kosher salt

Salt both sides of roast generously. Add everything to a crock pot and cook on high 5 hours.

Fluffy Pancakes

3/4 cup milk
2 tbsp. white vinegar
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
2 tbsp butter, melted
cooking spray

1. Combine milk and white vinegar in medium bowl. Set aside 5 minutes so "sour"
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Whisk egg and butter into soured milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cup fulls batter onto skillet and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with spatula and cook until browned on the other side.

Garlic Chicken

Prep: 2 minutes
Cook: 18 minutes

4 skinned and boned chicken breast halves
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter or margarine
4 large cloves garlic, minced (2 tbsp)
1 cup apple juice
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp pepper

Dredge chicken in flour. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add chicken and garlic. Cook 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.

Add apple juice, lemon juice, and pepper to skillet; bring mixture to a boil. Boil, uncovered 4 minutes or until reduced to 1/2 cup. Pour sauce over chicken, and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Candied Pecans

Courtesy of Maggie Goode

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

1 egg white

1 Tbs water

1-16 oz bag pecans

Make an egg wash with the egg and water. Coat pecans in the egg wash mixture. In separate bowl combine dry ingredients and stir in pecans. Place as 1 layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn over pecans. Bake for another 30 minutes on 300 degrees. Make sure you have something non-stick under them because the will be concrete if you are not careful. I prefer to use non-stick foil. They come right up. Enjoy!

Texas Caviar

1 can Black-eyed peas
1 can white corn
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
Cilantro to taste
2-3 tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix, prepared according to directions

Rinse beans, black-eyed peas, and corn. Cut up peppers and tomatoes really small. Add cilantro about ¼-1/2 cup cut up really tiny. Pour dressing over the top.

Refrigerate overnight and enjoy.

Add jalapeno or can of diced green chilies if you want it a little hotter.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

1 (12oz) Jar Chili Sauce
1 (16oz) Jar Grape Jelly
2lbs Frozen Meatballs

Mix chili sauce and grape jelly in large saucepan until well mixed

Pour in meatballs, stir until completely covered

Cook on low 1-2 hours until heated.

Cucumber Sandwiches

Pillsbury French Dough
8oz Cream Cheese
1/2 c. Mayo
1 pkg. Good Seasons Italian Dressing
Cucumbers, peeled and sliced

Bake Dough as directed on package, slice thin.

Mix cream cheese, mayo and dressing packet. Refrigerate.

Top with sliced cucumbers.

*For cooking in the Pampered Chef bread tube, bake 50-60 minutes at 375